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FFC 40 to Feature Two Title Fights

FFC returns the Fight Dome in Las Vegas on September 5th with FFC 40, a fight card ranging across three different disciplines, with two title fights featuring elite combat sports talent from five different continents.

Welterweight king and submission wizard Ben Egli looks to make his second defense of his title, facing highly-rated prospect Mark Lemminger in a mouth-watering championship affair.

The Oregon-based champion Egli defended his title for the first time back in April, gaining his tenth submission finish in fourteen fights by catching Joey Holt in a guillotine. Egli claimed the belt in October 2018, after submitting fellow FFC 40 alumni Roberto Neves. Lemminger makes his FFC debut, competing out of his home state of Wisconsin for the first time and looking to return home with the coveted FFC Welterweight Title.

Ukranian-born, Florida-based champion Chub last defended the belt earlier this year, outpointing Francois Ambang in a dominant performance at FFC 36. The champion currently holds an impressive 5-1 record under the FFC banner, and will hope to retain his title at the Fight Dome on Thursday evening. Wellington Uega trains out of the famed Hemmers Gym in Brazil and has amassed an impressive 30-1 record with nineteen wins coming by way of knockout. Can he upset the odds and become the man to beat at 187 pounds?

A welterweight contest between Roberto Neves and Jason Witt could have huge implications on the next challenger to the winner of our main event, with Neves having previously fallen victim to Ben Egli, whilst Witt remains the only man to have beaten challenger Mark Lemminger. Neves makes the trip from Brazil, looking to return to winning ways, whilst Witt hopes to put himself straight into title contention at 170 pounds on his promotional debut.

Daniel Jolly and Alex Polizzi will look to do battle at the second time of asking in a light heavyweight match up after the fight fell through at the final hour at FFC 39 in July. Jolly will hope to draw on the experience of facing the likes of Misha Cirkunov, Khalil Rountree and Alonzo Menifield to give his unbeaten opponent a tough night in Las Vegas. Polizzi however holds a perfect 4-0 record, with all four finishes coming inside the opening two rounds, with his six amateur fights also ending inside the opening two rounds all in favour of the Wisconsin man.

Unbeaten Hawaiian Keoni Diggs looks to maintain his perfect 6-0 record against short notice replacement Bryan Nuro in the lightweight division. Samoan-born, New Zealand raised heavyweight boxer Patrick Mailata makes his FFC debut against Daniel Franco. Mailata was a three-time New Zealand champion, as well as a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist.

Vegas-based welterweight Jeff Roman looks to keep his recent resurgence rolling as he takes on Azerbaijan’s unbeaten prospect Jamil Ibragimov, who emerges fresh from a knockout win over Jackie Gosh inside two minutes. The card opens with the return of local unbeaten featherweight Jordan Leavitt facing Alaska’s own Jeremiah Sierra in mixed martial arts.